Overview
Title
To award career pathways innovation grants to local educational agencies and consortia of local educational agencies, to provide technical assistance within the Office of Career, Technical, and Adult Education to administer the grants and support the local educational agencies with the preparation of grant applications and management of grant funds, to amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to support community college and industry partnerships, and for other purposes.
ELI5 AI
The 21st Century Workforce Partnerships Act is like a plan to help schools work with local businesses to teach kids the skills they need for jobs in the future. It wants schools, especially those in smaller towns, to team up with local businesses to make sure students learn things that will help them get good jobs when they grow up.
Summary AI
The 21st Century Workforce Partnerships Act aims to support career education by awarding grants to local educational agencies and consortia to develop and enhance career pathways for students. It focuses on creating partnerships between schools, businesses, and community entities to provide training and programs that lead to jobs in growing industries. It also seeks to strengthen the relationship between community colleges and industries by amending the Higher Education Act to foster partnerships, enhancing educational and workforce training programs, and ensuring assistance for rural and native-serving communities. The act emphasizes collaboration, technical assistance, and job quality measurement to ensure students are well-prepared for future employment opportunities.
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AnalysisAI
Summary of the Bill
The proposed legislation, known as the "21st Century Workforce Partnerships Act," aims to enhance educational and career opportunities through various grant programs. These grants will be awarded to local educational agencies and consortia to develop career pathways and in partnership with industries to foster training that aligns with labor market needs. The bill seeks to amend existing education legislation to further support community colleges and industry collaborations. Key components include allocating technical assistance for grant management, emphasizing the development of school-business partnerships, and fostering career pathways that lead to industry-recognized credentials.
Significant Issues
A primary concern with the bill is its broad definitions, particularly the term "business or industry partner." This vague definition could lead to an extensive range of entities being deemed eligible, potentially diluting the effectiveness of targeted spending. Additionally, the criteria for awarding and renewing grants are based on subjective terms like "sufficient progress" or "merits of the grant proposal," which could result in inconsistent decision-making.
The bill also requires that grant recipients provide matching funds equal to the grant amount. This criterion could present significant hurdles for less wealthy districts, limiting their ability to participate. Furthermore, the bill heavily relies on cross-references to other legislative acts, which could pose understanding challenges for those unfamiliar with the cited acts.
Impact on the Public
Broadly, the bill aims to support education-to-career transitions, potentially benefiting students by providing more tailored educational experiences that align with industry needs. This alignment could enhance employment opportunities for graduates and address workforce gaps. However, the effectiveness of these programs may vary significantly, depending on local implementation and the strength of partnerships.
The requirement for matching funds may disadvantage underfunded areas, potentially exacerbating existing inequalities in educational resources. This emphasis on local financial contribution might restrict access to the grants for those most in need, undermining the bill's goal of fostering a more equitable education system.
Impact on Specific Stakeholders
Students could potentially benefit from increased opportunities for earning credits applicable towards degrees or certifications while still in secondary education. This enhancement could lead to reduced time and cost for obtaining a college degree, aligning more closely with in-demand job skills.
Educational agencies stand to gain additional resources to develop or expand career and technical education programs. However, the matching fund requirement could be a barrier, particularly in economically disadvantaged districts, leading to uneven implementation across different regions.
Industry partners could find value in having an active role in shaping educational offerings to meet their specialized workforce needs. However, the requirement for industry partners to contribute resources and for partnerships to comply with detailed agreement stipulations could discourage some potential collaborators, especially small businesses, from participating due to increased complexity and resource commitments.
Conclusion
While the intent of the 21st Century Workforce Partnerships Act is laudable, promoting workforce readiness and industry alignment in education, the bill presents several challenges. The effectiveness could heavily depend on the clear definition of eligible entities, fair and consistent grant decision-making processes, and addressing financial barriers for less affluent educational agencies. Ensuring a balanced approach that doesn't further entrench systemic inequalities will be crucial for its success.
Issues
The broad definition of 'business or industry partner' in Section 2 could lead to an extensive range of eligible entities and potential wasteful spending without clear criteria for selection.
The criteria for awarding and renewing grants based on terms like 'sufficient progress' and 'merits of the grant proposal' in Sections 3 and 399A are subjective and could result in potentially biased decision-making.
The requirement for eligible agencies to provide matching funds equal to or greater than the grant amount in Section 3(e)(1) could be prohibitive for less affluent agencies, limiting access to the grant.
The vague language and lack of metrics for evaluating 'positive program outcomes' and 'job quality' in both Sections 4 and 399A(f)(5) could lead to accountability issues and inconsistent program evaluation.
The reliance on cross-references to other legislative acts for definitions and eligibility criteria across multiple sections (e.g., Sections 2, 3, 399A, 399C) makes it difficult for individuals unfamiliar with these acts to fully understand the bill without additional research.
The provision allowing up to 5 percent of appropriated amounts to be used for Federal administration in Section 399B(b) might not be sufficient to ensure effective oversight and technical assistance, or could be considered high depending on the total budget.
The broad authorization for permissible uses of funds in Sections 3(d) and 399A(f) without clear prioritization or necessity could lead to potential wasteful spending.
Sections
Sections are presented as they are annotated in the original legislative text. Any missing headers, numbers, or non-consecutive order is due to the original text.
1. Short title Read Opens in new tab
Summary AI
The short title of this Act is the “21st Century Workforce Partnerships Act”.
2. Definitions Read Opens in new tab
Summary AI
The section defines key terms used in the Act, including specific meanings for "elementary school," "high school," and other educational terms based on existing laws. It also clarifies definitions for various partners and programs such as "business or industry partner," "community partner," "school partnership," and "registered apprenticeship program," along with more specialized terms like "eligible agency," "intermediary organization," and "Native Hawaiian."
3. Secondary school to career pathways innovation grant program Read Opens in new tab
Summary AI
The text describes a government program where eligible agencies can apply for grants to create or expand career pathways programs in middle and high schools. These programs focus on meeting the skill needs of businesses by forming partnerships with schools, which may include career exploration, job training, and options to earn college credits, with special emphasis on rural areas, Native students, and low-income or disadvantaged youth.
4. Career pathways technical assistance Read Opens in new tab
Summary AI
The Secretary, through the Assistant Secretary of Career, Technical, and Adult Education, is responsible for managing career pathways grants, offering help to agencies applying for these grants, and ensuring that grants lead to successful outcomes. Additionally, there will be at least one staff member dedicated solely to aiding rural and native-serving agencies with grant applications and partnerships.
5. College to Career Pathways Innovation Grant Program Read Opens in new tab
Summary AI
The College to Career Pathways Innovation Grant Program is a proposed addition to the Higher Education Act that aims to provide competitive grants to colleges and other eligible entities to develop or improve educational and career training programs. These grants, which can be renewed based on progress, prioritize partnerships with industries to help students, especially those with employment barriers, gain skills for in-demand jobs and higher employment quality.
399A. College and industry partnerships program Read Opens in new tab
Summary AI
The section outlines a program where the U.S. Secretaries award grants to institutions, like community colleges and universities, to partner with businesses and create or improve education and career training programs. The goal is to help students gain skills for better jobs, and preference is given to programs that serve people facing employment challenges, include partnerships that bear some costs, and ensure diverse geographic representation.
399B. Authorization of appropriations Read Opens in new tab
Summary AI
There is authorization for necessary funds to support a program in section 399A, and these funds will be available until the end of the fifth full fiscal year after the law is enacted. Additionally, no more than 5% of these funds can be used by government officials for managing and evaluating the program, including offering technical assistance.
399C. Definitions Read Opens in new tab
Summary AI
In this section, several terms are defined: terms related to employment challenges and opportunities are referenced from the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act; “community college” is defined as in another part of the law; “educational or career training program” involves support for career pathways or integrated education; and “Secretaries” refers to specific government officials responsible for education and labor.